Re: Emacs on OS X - configuration package

[videoxfer <videoxfer@xfer.tv>]

On 2004-03-02, Jussi Piitulainen <jpiitula@ling.helsinki.fi> wrote:
> So if you type `C-h c opt-u' it both says something like "M-u runs the
> command upcase-word" and waits for the next keypress? 

If you type 'C-h c opt-u' it does nothing, since it's waiting for the
completion of the prefix character.  As I said in the previous post,
the handling of opt-u (say) as a prefix key appears to be taking place
at lower level than an emacs key binding.  Only Andrew knows for sure...

If you type 'C-h c opt-u opt-u', it says "M-u runs the command
upcase-word" and it's done.


> I have a Carbon Emacs with opt as meta. Opt-u upcases a word. It does
> not wait for anything. `Opt-u u' would upcase a word and insert u. I
> did redefine several keys, with help from this newsgroup, but I don't
> remember having to fight opt-u.

I'm not fighting anything.  I deliberately enabled this because I find
it useful to be able to enter umlaut vowels (for instance) in this
way, since my fingers are trained to do this automatically. I'm
willing to type opt-u twice if I want M-u because I don't use it very
often. 


> Then you may have option as meta and M-u as a prefix key. 

Afaik emacs knows nothing about prefix keys; that's a mac thing.  I
don't think the standard emacs key processor even _sees_ the initial
opt-u.



> You don't seem to get what you bargained for, if simply pressing opt-u
> does not insert a character.

Do you run any form of macos?  Opt-u would never insert anything.
It's a prefix character that adds umlaut to whatever you type next (if
what you type next can take an umlaut).  Exactly the same thing
happens in carbon emacs, so I get exactly what I'm paying for.